The Ministry of Defence has released a video showing an attack on Islamic State in Iraq.

The text accompanying the video said: "In the early hours of Friday 27 February, an RAF Tornado GR4 patrol conducted reconnaissance to the north-west of Haditha. An ISIL armoured personnel carrier was located, and destroyed with a Brimstone missile."

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The first few Iraqi troops have entered the suburbs of Tikrit - Saddam Hussein's hometown - as an operation to seize back control of the city from Islamic State militants gets underway.

More than 27,000 Iraqi soldiers and Shia volunteers launched a three-pronged attack, firing mortars and exchanging gunfire with the militants at three different locations in the bid to liberate the city.

A US-led coalition has launched seven air strikes in Iraq and two in Syria against Islamic State militants since yesterday morning, the Combined Joint Task Force announced.

Two air strikes involving US drones in Syria near Al Hasakah struck an Islamic State tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles.

In Iraq, the US-led coalition used warplanes and drones to strike near Al Asad, Al Qaim, Kirkuk and Mosul, destroying Islamic State tactical units,
boats, a storage facility, buildings and other targets, according to the statement.

"In the most recent UK military engagement, one of our Reapers provided close air support to an Iraqi unit in combat with Isil terrorists in Diyala province on Friday 13 February," a spokeswoman said.

"The Reaper spotted a machine-gun team firing on the Iraqi troops, and conducted a successful attack with a Hellfire missile. A second machine gun then opened fire on the Iraqis, and the Reaper conducted a further strike with another Hellfire" she added.